Category: News

This Week 24/01/04

Big Events January 4 and Beyond

Thursday, Jan. 4

It’s the final weekend for the LaBelle Lights outdoor walkthrough path of holiday light displays, which continues operations through Sunday, Jan. 7, and is open daily 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. The theme for the final week is “’80s Ski Week,” according to labellewinery.com/lights, where you can see a map of the attraction and purchase tickets (which cost $18 for adults and ages 14+, $12 for ages 65+, $8 for ages 4 to 13 and free for ages 3 and under, plus fees).

Friday, Jan. 5

See Andrea Paquin play tonight at the Backyard Brewery and Kitchen (1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester) from 6 to 9 p.m. Find more live music at area restaurants and breweries in the Music This Week listing on page.

Friday, Jan. 5

This month’s Super Stellar Friday at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) will look at the “History of Early Astronomers” featuring Carlie Fowler, education specialist at the Discovery Center. The program will tonight at 7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission costs $12 for adults, $9 for ages 3 to 12 and $11 for 62+ and 13 to college.

Friday, Jan. 5

Rubikon will perform tonight at 8 p.m. with bands Mission to Sleep and Wired for Sound at Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $18.75. Find more concerts this weekend and beyond in the Concert listings on page 34.

Friday, Jan. 5

Catch the “high-energy all-request interactive show!” Dueling Pianos live tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $29.

Saturday, Jan. 6

The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market offers a place to browse local produce, baked goods and other items as well as a spot for live music — this week from Ryan Williamson — on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon at 7 Eagle Square in Concord. See downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com for a list of vendors.

Save the Date! Saturday, March 23
Hear Symphony New Hampshire play the music from the video games of Mario, Zelda and more at Game Over(ture), a concert scheduled for Saturday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com), where tickets cost $20.75 to $53.75, and Sunday, March 24, at 3 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St. in Nashua), where tickets cost $10 to $63. See symphonynh.org.

Featured photo: Andrea Paquin

Welcome to 2024

The Big Story – Ahead in 2024: The new year has arrived, so it’s time to look ahead for things you hope happen in 2024 and to give predictions for things that will.

Sports 101: Besides Larry Bird, who was the last Celtic to be league MVP?

News Item – Celtics Deals Cause Havoc Elsewhere: Hard to find someone who doesn’t like the Celtics pickups of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. But not so much for teams involved on the other side. While the Celtics won 24 of their first 30, Memphis (10-20), Portland (8-21) and Washington (5-25), where the new C’s came from and Marcus Smart landed in the Porzingis deal, are the opposite at 18-66 in 2023-24.

2024 Predictions:

Speaking of Smart, before 2024 is out he’ll be traded again with the landing spot being rivals Milwaukee or Philadelphia.

We’re confident the now 28-game record-breaking Detroit Pistons losing streak ends sometime this calendar year. Though not sure if it happens this season or the first half of 2024-2025.

Pats keep Bill Belichick as coach and bring in a GM to buy the groceries. They also stick with Bailey Zappe to use their high draft position to put beef in front of him and speed on the outside to make the O more dynamic.

Red Sox finish last again, but Red Sox Nation is too dumb to stop going to games to send the owners the message they need to hear loud and clear: sell or spend or we ain’t coming until you do.

Kristaps Porzingis plays a not-great-for-normal-guys but decent for him 66 games.

Celtics meet Denver in the NBA Finals.

Shohei Ohtani hits 50+ homers in Dodgerland while becoming the most popular Dodger since Fernando Valenzuela.

Things We Hope Happen:

BradStevenssomehowpulls off the rumored trade for big man depth for either Utah’s free agent to be Kelly Olynyk, whose deep shooting is a perfect fit behind Porzingis, or better yet 6’8” Detroit bruiser Isaiah Stewart because he’s a good eventual successor to Al Horford with, at just 22, room to get better as their big off the bench, or with a $15 million contract coming next year, a long-term big money tradeable asset.

Tom Brady passes on the Raiders ownership deal for a similar one for a stake in the Patriots. Bring him home, Bob.

I’m on my knees actually begging Joe Mazzulla to not let Jayson Tatum do that Kobe wannabe garbage isolation at the end of any quarter because he NEVER even gets a good shot let alone scores.

For once let the Patriots not cheap out and spend the money needed to retain Kyle Dugger, Michael Onwenu in free agency and extend Christian Barmore before he becomes too expensive to keep when he becomes a 2025 free agent.

John Henry and Tom Werner give us all a break and sell the Red Sox.

The Numbers:

1987 – the last time the Celtics had five guys score 20+ in the same game as they did in their 144–119 bounce-back win over Sacramento after a bad OT loss the night before vs Golden State.

268 – NBA record consecutive games with a 3-ball streak that ended for Steph Curry when he was 0-8 vs. Portland last week.

Of the Week Awards…

Worst TV Show: I am a survivor of the Irv Cross, Phyllis George, Brent Musburger NFLpre-game show era of the ’70s, but the three bozos on NFL Network Christmas Eve pre-game show are BY FAR the worst I’ve ever seen. High school TV shows are more professional. Embarrassingly bad.

Worst Uniforms: Denver has to be kidding us with those all orange with white helmets jobs worn on Christmas Eve. Nike’s done a lot of bad things to sports but retro Tampa Bay circa 1977 uniforms tops them all.

Yoko Ono Award: Apparently I’m not the only one a little sick of the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce thing. With KC losing five of their last eight when Kelce hasn’t been his all-world self, folks have started calling Swift “Yoko” in reference to Yoko Ono’s role in starting the downfallof The Beatles.

I could see a coupling between Brady and say, Margot Robbie, being fawned over like they were Monroe and DiMaggio. But a tight end and a girl next door pop star? Come on.

Sports 101 Answer: The C’s last MVP besides Bird was Dave Cowens in 1972-73 when the C’s won a team record 68 games.

Final Thought – Don’t Lean On Them: Does anyone in the NBA know how to set a legal pick? It’s incredible that almost everyone doesn’t, from rookies to 37-year-old Al Horford.How many offensive foul calls is it going to take before they get it? They are at the highest basketball level and no one seems to know your feet need to be set and YOU CAN NOT LEAN!!! The guy coming off the screen is supposed to rub off you. Not the other way around. Jiminy Cricket.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

News & Notes 24/01/04

Storm clean-up

In the aftermath of a massive storm system on Dec. 18, 2023, which brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to New Hampshire, both the state’s Congressional delegation and the Department of Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) have requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). According to a press release, the New Hampshire Congressional delegation, led by Sens. Jean Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, along with Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas, sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell expressing their support for the affected local communities. The storm resulted in extensive road closures, infrastructure damage and home destructions in northern New Hampshire, leading to the rescue of some residents by National Guard helicopters. The delegation urges FEMA to be prepared to conduct Preliminary Damage Assessments in collaboration with state and local officials, should the state request it, especially as impending snowfall could complicate the assessment of the full extent of the damage. On the state level, the HSEM, on behalf of Gov. Chris Sununu, initiated joint Preliminary Damage Assessments with FEMA to document the impact on communities, which is crucial for securing federal disaster relief funds. HSEM had nine teams visiting affected communities to assess initial damage estimates, working closely with communities to determine whether they meet the state threshold of $2.53 million in damages.

Food help

NH Hunger Solutions and other anti-hunger advocates plan to attend a public hearing in Concord on Jan. 3 for SB499, the Hunger Free NH Act. According to a press release, this bipartisan legislation, led by Sen. Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) and introduced for the 2024 session, aims to address food insecurity in New Hampshire. Key objectives of the act include increasing participation in Federal Nutrition Programs (FNPs), removing administrative barriers for accessing these programs and improving participation in School Breakfast and Summer Meals programs. The act also focuses on making it easier for older adults and people with disabilities to access food and nutrition benefits.”Our food and nutrition support system is designed to work like a power grid that can move healthy food to communities and households — the problem is that the grid is well-powered in some areas and patchy or even non-existent in others,” Executive Director of NH Hunger Solutions Laura Milliken said in the release. “At the same time, rising costs of goods, housing and child care are straining household budgets. For many, it is increasingly difficult to meet basic needs.” Milliken noted that over half of New Hampshire children and 46 percent of adults live in households with insufficient food as of Oct. 30. “The Hunger Free NH Act will connect more Granite Staters with nutritious food and bolster our food support system in NH,” she said.

Historic registry

The Bald Peak Colony Club in Moultonborough has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a notable example of a rural country club from the 1920s, according to a press release. Located with views of Lake Winnipesaukee and surrounded by the Belknap and Ossipee mountain ranges, the club was founded in 1921. It stands out as one of New Hampshire’s most preserved historic golf clubs, featuring 93 contributing buildings, sites and structures that maintain the Colonial Revival architectural style. The club’s facilities include a symmetrical clubhouse, early cottages near the clubhouse, a variety of recreational buildings, and an 18-hole golf course that has kept its original layout since 1919. The listing on the National Register, administered by the National Park Service, recognizes the property’s historical significance without imposing new restrictions on it. It also makes the property eligible for certain state grants aimed at conservation and heritage investment.

Corrections training

The New Hampshire Department of Corrections has partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire (NAMI NH) for a training initiative funded by a grant from the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs. According to a press release, this collaboration aims to equip all corrections staff with specialized skills through programs like Building a Trauma-Responsive Correctional Setting and Crisis Intervention Training, with a focus on application in correctional environments. This move comes after a significant number of individuals were referred for behavioral and substance use services upon booking, highlighting the need for enhanced staff training. The initiative, starting in Fiscal Year 2025, seeks to improve outcomes for justice-involved individuals with mental illness and support corrections staff in managing complex issues within the criminal justice system.

Pembroke received approval from the NH Public Utilities Commission to proceed with the Pembroke Community Power Energy Aggregation Plan, set to launch on March 1, 2024. According to a press release, the plan aims to provide residents and businesses with more affordable and cleaner electricity. Residents will receive information letters starting Jan. 22, detailing the benefits and explaining how to participate or opt out of Pembroke Community Power. The Pembroke Energy Committee will hold an informational public meeting on Jan. 31 at 6:30 p.m. in the Pembroke Academy auditorium.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) has announced the closure of the temporary E-ZPass Walk-In Center (WIC) at Exit 16 on the Spaulding Turnpike (Route 16) in Rochester, according to a press release. The center, which was set up to assist travelers in transitioning to the All-Electronic-Toll (AET) system implemented in September 2023, will cease operations permanently on Dec. 29 at 6 p.m. Walk-In Centers in Concord, Nashua and Portsmouth will continue to serve the public from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Upper Room, a family resource center in Derry, is launching a six-week series titled “Is This Crossing The Line?” to educate teen women on boundary setting, consent, sexting and personal confidence. According to a press release, the free program will run Mondays, Jan. 22 through March 4, from 3 to 4 p.m. Sessions will be facilitated by Valerie Mazzola, LICSW, from Clear Balance Counseling, to provoke insightful discussions among participants about maintaining healthy relationships. Attendance for all six sessions is required for participants. To register, call 437-8477.

Quality of Life 23/12/28

Toys!

The 12th Annual Tower of Toys initiative in Manchester marked another successful year by collecting approximately 1,100 gifts and raising more than $15,000 for local children and families during the holiday season. According to a press release, the donated toys were assembled into a tower for public viewing at the Beacon Building’s atrium before distribution to beneficiaries through schools, churches and nonprofit organizations. Local businesses, individuals and 10 restaurants actively participated in the campaign, which also received support from various sponsors.

QOL score: +1

Comment: “With heartfelt appreciation, the 12th annual Tower of Toys initiative celebrates the collective generosity that has made the holidays truly magical for New Hampshire children and families,” Larry Thibodeau, Tower of Toys founder and sponsor, said in the release.

Little extra

Following advocacy efforts by the New Hampshire and Vermont Congressional delegations, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced an increase in pay for federal employees in certain counties of New Hampshire and Vermont. According to a press release, this change, impacting workers in Carroll, Cheshire, Grafton and Sullivan counties in New Hampshire, aligns their locality pay with most counties in New Hampshire and the Greater Boston area. Over 1,000 federal employees, including those working at the White River Junction VA Medical Center, White Mountain National Forest and the Army’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, will benefit from more competitive pay rates.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The pay raise aims to improve hiring and retention of federal employees, which is crucial for initiatives like the implementation of the PACT Act, a law passed to secure health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, according to the release.

Money management

A recent analysis by the Pew Charitable Trusts commended New Hampshire for its prudent use of the $995 million received from the American Rescue Plan, NHRP reported. The state allocated the majority (72.5 percent) of these funds to one-time expenses and dedicated over 19 percent to direct pandemic response, such as vaccine distribution and support for long-term care facilities. Only a small portion (8.1 percent) was used for operating expenses, which are typically recurring and could lead to future budget shortfalls.

QOL score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire’s strategic spending on pandemic response and one-time investments, like purchasing Hampstead Hospital and expanding housing, is in line with Pew’s recommendations for minimizing the risk of future fiscal imbalances, the article said.

QOL score: 90

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 93

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?
Let us know at [email protected].

Featured photo: 12th Annual Tower of Toys. Courtesy photo.

This Week 23/12/28

Big Events December 28, 2023 and Beyond

Thursday, Dec. 28

Recycled Percussion begins its multi-show run today at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) running through Jan. 7 (see the Nov. 9 issue for an in-depth interview with Justin Spencer). Showtimes include today at 7 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 29, through Monday, Jan. 1, at 3 and 7 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 6, at 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 7, at 3 and 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 28

Take a moment for some art at the Currier Museum of Art’s (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) Art After Work today from 5 to 8 p.m., when admission is free and live music will be provided by Max Sullivan Band. This is the last Art After Work Thursday before a winter break, according to the museum’s website.

Sunday, Dec. 31

Catch Adam Ezra tonight at 9 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) — tickets cost $45 for the show ($95 for a dinner-and-show ticket). Find more ideas for New Year’s Eve celebration in the Dec. 21 issue of the Hippo at hippopress.com, where you can flip through the e-edition. On page 28, find alist of restaurants with special meals and seatings; on page 36 find a listing of music and parties.

Sunday, Dec. 31

Juston McKinney is just one of several comedians dishing out the last laughs at 2023. He’s performing tonight at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com) at 5 and 8 p.m. Tickets cost $39. Find more comedy in our Comedy This Week listings in the Nite section.

Monday, Jan. 1

Start the year with a brisk run — the Apple Therapy & Derry Sports Rehab Millennium Mile in Londonderry steps off at a New Year’s Eve party-attendee-friendly 2 p.m. Registration costs $20 for everyone 12 and over; $10 for 11 and under. The course is described as “a point-to-point, downhill 1-mile course for all ages and abilities starting on Mammoth Road in front of Londonderry High School,” according to millenniumrunning.com, where you can find out more about the race and register.

Wednesday, Jan. 3

Andrew North and the Rangers host RangerZone Open Mic tonight at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Signups start at 6:30 p.m. and participants will get a slot based on a lottery; music starts at 6:45 p.m. Bring your instrument; amps are provided and the band can serve as your backing band. Admission is free.

Save the Date! Friday, Jan. 19
Heat up with winter with Dancing Queens, billed as “the Ulimate ABBA and Disco Tribute,” at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Friday, Jan. 19, through Sunday, Feb. 11, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, plus Thursday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $28 to $49.

Featured photo: Adam Ezra Group

2023 in Review

The Big Story – As the year closes, it’s time to look at the biggest stories of 2023 and to remedy Sports Illustrated’s choice of Deion Sanders as Sports Person of the Year by giving five better nominees for that distinction.

News Item – Top 5 Sports Stories of the Year:


Women’s Sports Growth in Business: The WNBA’s Seattle Storm sold for $160 million and an all-women group is putting up $100 million to bring a NWSL expansion team to Boston. These are previously unheard of prices for women sports franchises, so it’s clear the business of women’s sports is finally on its way.

Collapse of Pac-12: The generation of fans who grow up with it may come to love the bloated conference world. But those of us who grew up with schools’ regional identities tied to the conference they played in never will. Stanford in the ACC? USC, UCLA and podunk Rutgers in the Big 10? Creighton in the Big East? Give me a break. The culprit, of course, is money, with the first three schools mentioned being the reason behind the collapse of the once great Pac-8 (then 10, then 12).

Shohei Ohtani the $700 Million Dodger: The final number makes it hard to see how it can match the return L.A. will get back. And you don’t need much imagination to envision how an early injury to an already injury-prone guy can wreck this deal. But I’ll still root for him because he put greed aside to defer all but $2 million of his annual $70 million salary to let L.A. afford more players, which happened less than a week later when the Dodgers (incredibly) also put prized Japanese hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto under their Christmas tree for a paltry $325 million.

Rise of Gambling in Sports: You can’t turn on any TV sportscast without being overrun by legalized sports betting ads. It’s gone from the ultimate taboo to “it’s all fine with us, boys, as long as you keep sending the cash.”

Collapse of the Patriots Dynasty We now have a clear answer to “Was it more Tom or Bill?,” don’t we? Tom Brady didn’t play in 2023 but clearly he was even more important to the dynasty than most realized.

News Item – Sports Person of the Year:

Brock Purdy: He may not be Brady just yet. But by going from 2022’s last player drafted to beating out the QB who cost the 49ers three first-round picks to get a year earlier, to the MVP favorite, he’s a Brady-like Cinderella story.

Pat Mahomes: The heir apparent to Brady’s passing records won his second Super Bowl.

Nikola Jokic: He led Denver to the NBA title, so he actually did something in Colorado besides promoting himself.

Nick Sirianni: By leading Philly to the SB while somehow adding excitement to the ancient QB sneak with the unstoppable Brotherly Shove, he’s a coach who actually did something besides promote himself.

Notable Deaths – RIP:

Tim Wakefield – 57: He wasn’t the greatest player, but he did earn a special place in Red Sox Nation’s heart.

Jim Brown – 87: The Browns 1950s-’60s fullback was simply the greatest and most indestructible football player who ever lived.

Dick Butkus – 80: No one was scarier or hit harder than da Bears’ MLB. With all due respect to LT, he was the most intimidating player I’ve ever seen.

Bobby Knight – 83: Dan Patrick said it best on his radio show: “I had friends who played for him. I had people who swore by him and swore at him. … This is a coach who demanded poise, composure, but he didn’t have it.” All true, but no one got more out of less athletic ability than the Indiana coach.

Vida Blue – 73: You had to be there to fully get how the A’s fireballing lefty took baseball by storm in 1971 like no first-year player ever has.

Willis Reed – 80: No one has ever put the hopes of his team and its fans on his back like the Knicks captain did in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. After two days of “will Willis play or won’t he?” fears, he limped onto the Madison Square Garden floor to face Wilt Chamberlain and the L.A. Lakers to energize everyone watching, then scored the game’s first two baskets to crush L.A.’s hopes 90 seconds into the game. I’ve never been more inspired or had a greater day as a sports fan.

Thumbs Up – Brad Stevens: Adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to reshape the C’s has worked perfectly. Add bringing back Al Horford and Derrick White to town and every trade he’s made as Celtics GM has been a heist.

Thumbs Down – John Henry: He’s currently destroying his legacy as the Sox’ best owner ever. Save the legacy by taking the $3 billion profit you’ve earned and sell to someone who wants to win.

Final Thought: Happy new year to all.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

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